Maoists launch whispering campaign ahead of West Bengal polls

Kolkata: Plagued by lack of leadership, the banned CPI (Maoist) began a whispering campaign against the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal in a bid to regain its lost ground in the 'Junglemahal' region.

The Junglemahal districts of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore, which have nearly 40 seats, will go to polls on April 4 and April 11. Of these 40 seats, Maoists used to have a strong presence in near about 30 seats.

"The Maoists have been trying to regroup for past two years, especially near the areas along the Jharkhand and Odisha borders. But they have not been that successful. They don't have the same clout they had during 2010-11. They have virtually turned into a non-entity," a senior intelligence officer told news agency.

"But near the bordering areas of Jharkhand and Odisha, in certain pockets they are propagating against the TMC government and have engaged in a whispering campaign," the official added.